Q6600 - $189 at Fry's

[hnzw rui]

Just saw the ad. Even cheaper than Microcenter. :shocked: Hoping these are retail. There's a high likelihood they are given Fry's usually specifies if the processors are OEM.

 

[Tempered81]

man the prices on these things are coming wayyy down from retail last year.

 

[hnzw rui]

Yep. Effect of new tech. Anyhow, just called the Fry's at Burbank and the guy confirmed it was for retail version. Now I just have to think of a way how I can purchase it without my mom knowing.

 

[Tempered81]

what was the debut price of q6600 b3 or g0?

 

[lopri]

Q6600 B3 debut price was $500+ and that was a sensational price at that time.

 

[Extelleron]

Originally posted by: jaredpace
what was the debut price of q6600 b3 or g0?

Q6600 B3 debuted @ $851 in Q1 2007.

By Q2 it was $530, and in Q3 (july 22) you saw the price drop to $266.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: jaredpace
what was the debut price of q6600 b3 or g0?

Well, they were $300 at Fry's VERY early, but everybody said "wait until they come down". I got 2 then.... (B3's). I don't remember seeing the $500.

 

[Tempered81]

so it went

851 > 520 > 500 > 300 > 266 > 220 > 199 > 189

or something similar. Im adding some points at which it was bought frequently at.

this is plain insane. I hope the e8400 goes like 220 > 199 > 189 > 150 > 125 > 90 > 79

 

[smz]

I'm also out here in Los Angeles. My local one is Store #8, Woodland Hills, one of the largest in terms of square footage out of all the Fry's stores. I called @4pm, Today, Friday Mar 28th, and the guy in components wouldn't tell me over the phone the exact stock but I asked him a general stock number and indicated that they had WELL OVER 50.

Since many people work till 6pm out here, I need to get cruising over there and pick one up before they get cleared out when the office hours working people arrive. I missed out on this during Black Friday in 2007 but only because I thought Intel dropped the prices, I was wrong and kicked myself ever since. Now I can redeem myself. This is a retail box 100% sure. Match the ad PLU (SKU) number with frys.com and you will see a match.

IF anyone has a Fry's card, last time I was there, this CPU qualified for 0% interest for a year if you use the Fry's card so why not? They have the slower Phenom combo for $10 or so less, but these last few weeks they have all been OEM chips and the 0% OEM's do not qualify.

So again, if you live out in the Woodland Hills area (91367), get 'em while they still have 'em. Now, as soon as I get back, need to put my current crusty E6400 Retail CPU on eBay. Anyone interested? I have my own heatsink so the new one with the Q6600 is going to the buyer of the E6400.

Chow,
SMZ

Originally posted by: hnzw rui
Yep. Effect of new tech. Anyhow, just called the Fry's at Burbank and the guy confirmed it was for retail version. Now I just have to think of a way how I can purchase it without my mom knowing.

 

[smz]

Oops, can't edit this post for some reason, here's the link to fry's.com which shows the same SKU Number in the newspaper as
a retail boxed version of this CPU.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5101696

 

[Johnnymg2]

woot .................................. I bought one at Fry's this morning. GO stepper!

Running it right now @ 3.2 GHz. If anyone has a good link to a set of BIOS settings for a P5WDH and the Q6600, please post it or PM me.

BTW, I really hate Fry's

Thanks
JohnG

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: jaredpace
so it went

851 > 520 > 500 > 300 > 266 > 220 > 199 > 189

or something similar. Im adding some points at which it was bought frequently at.

this is plain insane. I hope the e8400 goes like 220 > 199 > 189 > 150 > 125 > 90 > 79

Here's a nice graph with the historical price-ranges for Q6600:

http://www.nextag.com/Intel-Co...706/price-history-html

Here's the specific graph (not sure if this link will work) http://img.nextag.com/image/In.../297/620/529762062.gif

 

[smz]

Hey I'm right there with you partner about hating Fry's that is. The worst customer service in the retail business. Then again, they've owned that title for as many years as they've been opened.

So I head to Woodland Hills and hit good ol' Los Angeles prime-time traffic to make sure I get one of these bad boyz just to find out their Fry's card credit card system is down indefinitely for today. The lady spent 10 minutes prior to the CSR manager showing up trying to make this transaction go through. She had the IQ of an ant. Then the manager tells me it's a nationwide problem in all the stores but she would verify it before turning down the sale.

Long story short, right now they cannot sell anything in the store using the Fry's credit card (now that's a joke wouldn't you say?) - So she says to pick another method of payment and I told her this item qualified for 0% for a year, she then says come back tomorrow it will be fixed by then. I told her this price is being advertised nationwide and some stores are already sold out. If I came back on Saturday, chances would be hit or miss. Finally I convinced her to do something they must not be accustomed to. She did a manual quote with the sale price and instead of just giving me a slip and saying come back tomorrow. She affixed the same quote with my personal information on it to the retail Intel box and it's now on hold in the infamous Fry's cage. I will get to play tomorrow.

I will note if anyone cares, that the Manufacturer date shown on the box was 3/4/08 and not July 2007 like someone else pointed out in another forum.

So I looked over the box and I did see "B3" on it so that is my guess. It looked like updated artwork as far as the retail box but I could be wrong. But if the Intel stamp is 3/4/08, Fry's couldn't have gotten these very long ago.

Echoing the guy above me who got 3.2ghz out of his on an Asus platform. I was curious what recommended bios settings people were using? I happen to have a Gigabyte 965G-DS3 based on the Intel 965 Chipset. Quad 1066fsb ready. I've got my e6400 as high as 3.0ghz but no farther. Stock is 2.13ghz. As for my rig, it's overclocking friendly. Antec 900, Trio PS, Zalman 9500 HS/Fan, for ram I run Corsair XMS2 TwinXC4 4GB total @ 4-4-4-12 which is stable up to about 850mhz with those clock settings at 2.1V.

Curious if anyone would like to share their setup that is optimized and stable with the Q6600.

Thanks in advance.
Scott
SMZ

 

[TankGuys]

Originally posted by: smz

...So I looked over the box and I did see "B3" on it so that is my guess. It looked like updated artwork as far as the retail box but I could be...

It's a G0 chip. Three ways to tell:

1 - B3 / G0 was never printed on the box, so that's coincidence (may be part of the serial number or something). The way to tell was on the product code. B3's ended with SL9UM and G0s ended with SLACR.

2 - Updated packaging means it's definitely new, means it's definitely G0

3 - That pack date also means it's new and G0.

You'll be set


These stores are selling these chips at insane prices. I can't even buy them at wholesale for <$250 (!)

 

[smz]

It's just funny that end of Nov 2007 on black Friday, they had this CPU in a combo with some Junk ECS M/B for $199. Honestly I don't know how they do it. To think they are a commission store, so any time you buy something and some Fry's guy claims they have to give you a printout "quote" which is BS unless you are buying something in the cage, they get some fat commission out of it.

So far all the reviews I've ran into in a brief search on Google have been pre 2008 so I really don't have that great of an idea what the new stepping can do vs the old?

Some have said it doesn't matter and some are making a big deal of asking for it.

Funny I specialize in this stuff for a living but this will be the first Quad I've played with. Was real close to grabbing the Phenom 9600 for $169 with a crap board but passed. I had a hard time finding anyone with very many positive things to say about the Phenom in general 9500, 9600, whatever. I know it's overclocking ability is horrible with a max reported clock of 2.6ghz on either the 9500 or 9600. To think the Q6600 has been around for ages and the Phenom is supposed to be all new technology with 4 cores on the die just amazes me by it's real time performance. Well regardless, in my configuration I have to really compare benchmarks of my current e6400 running stable at 2.75ghz compared to what I can get the Q6600 to clock at which seems more than expected to reach greater than 3.0ghz.

I will play tomorrow.

 

[noxiousCaitSith]

they need to have this Fry's place in florida...i don't think there are any decent stores that sell just the CPU...

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: TankGuys

Originally posted by: smz

...So I looked over the box and I did see "B3" on it so that is my guess. It looked like updated artwork as far as the retail box but I could be...

It's a G0 chip. Three ways to tell:

1 - B3 / G0 was never printed on the box, so that's coincidence (may be part of the serial number or something). The way to tell was on the product code. B3's ended with SL9UM and G0s ended with SLACR.

2 - Updated packaging means it's definitely new, means it's definitely G0

3 - That pack date also means it's new and G0.

You'll be set


These stores are selling these chips at insane prices. I can't even buy them at wholesale for <$250 (!)

it's much easier for the b&m to get silly on their prices, b/c MOST people are already there and end up buying other items to get the store out of the hole. On your web site you have to find a way to market other items REALLY well but not so well that you piss off your customers We have a problem selling cars over the internet at those crazy loser prices for that reason b/c often the customer just buys the loser deal and nothing else.

 

[aigomorla]

i can double vouch for the 189 deal at frys.

lol i had to go pick up a dual wan router, then went to return it after it kept failing too many times.

Was almost tempted to pick it up for the hell of it, but i have a $50 E2200 i wanna try killing next week on my torcher rack.

 

[smz]

There is no doubt in my mind that these loss leaders are bringing in foot traffic that otherwise may not be making a trip to that store. But let's face it, anyone out here who has been to a Fry's (assuming they are 50K - 180K square feet), understands the concept because it's like taking Bestbuy, Circuit City, PCclub, and every Mom & Pap computer/electronic store and putting them all under one roof. Our Woodland Hills store was there largest when they opened it about 10 years ago. It is quoted at 115K. I guess the largest is 180K now. By the way someone mentioned Florida. I did now know this, but I saw a list of stores that showed Fry's has two stores in Atlanta, Georgia. I didn't know they went farther east than Texas.

Anyhow, for someone who has never been to one of these stores, the loss leader will suck you in like a shop vac. Every store has it's own theme. Our store is based on Alice and Wonderland where the Burbank store on the other side of the valley is a Retro 50's and space alien theme.

It's safe to assume that a first time visitor is NOT going to walk in and buy the one time in the paper they sought to buy. They will ask every time you buy a combo if you need all the fixings, Ram, Hard Drive, HS/Fan if the CPU is OEM, etc. They don't seem to ever have loss leaders in every category advertised at the same time in each add. So for instance last week they had a new Retail Maxtor 500GB drive for $79 but the Quad was $269 with a board. Now the quad is $189 standalone retail box and no drives are on sale so that same Maxtor is back up to $129. They are 75% MSRP on all items in the store. There are red tag clearance items through out the store at all times. These are discontinued products priced to move or something that they want to clear out a lot of demo and open box items. So that's the fact. They are banking on you needing a MSRP priced part(s) and then of course entice you with electronics, dvdz, cdz, and virtually any product that plugs into the wall again under one roof.

If you are not too technically literate, don't expect Fry's to help you out too much. Most employees there would be the same ones you would find as the store greeters at walmart.

OK, I've said my piece. I don't know how these posts get to me so long, but once I get started, I just keep typing and typing... But I am very opinionated, especially concerning the story that takes more money from me on an annual basis than any other store hands down.

Locations and Weekly Retail Store Ads
Note: not all states and locations have the same pricing as another store may have. These are clearly marked in the ads that are posted here.

Scott
SMZ

Originally posted by: bryanW1995
it's much easier for the b&m to get silly on their prices, b/c MOST people are already there and end up buying other items to get the store out of the hole. On your web site you have to find a way to market other items REALLY well but not so well that you piss off your customers We have a problem selling cars over the internet at those crazy loser prices for that reason b/c often the customer just buys the loser deal and nothing else.

 

[o1die]

Don't know why I hear complaints about Fry's in California. I've had no problems in austin Tx. Fry's is one of the few electronics retailers that doesn't charge a restocking fee. I've returned many items without any hassles.

 

[bryanW1995]

Originally posted by: aigomorla
i can double vouch for the 189 deal at frys.

lol i had to go pick up a dual wan router, then went to return it after it kept failing too many times.

Was almost tempted to pick it up for the hell of it, but i have a $50 E2200 i wanna try killing next week on my torcher rack.

I was going to tell you that it's "torture" until I remembered that you fried that other cpu. Maybe "oven rack" would make more sense?

 

[smz]

This somehow was posted twice. Moderator please delete this... Thanks

 

[smz]

Maybe it's just California. I have to admit on Black Friday last year, I stayed with my family in Las Vegas and the regular staff was overly friendly and seem to have IQs well above the common sense level. Not that I''m raciest or anything, but the bulk of the employees in Vegas seemed to be of caucasian decent. Out here in CA, it's hard to find even one employee who isn't from overseas. But I've been to 4 different So Cal based Fry's in the last 10+ years, and I have noting positive to say about their C/S. They are a private company owned by a bunch of brothers so I can't imagine why they would staff their stores with employees with various levels of experience on a store by store basis?

Oh Well. Here's a little haha obviously written by someone with similar experiences that I have with Fry's customer service. I've seen this circulating around the internet for a good 10 years. Made me chuckle quite a bit as it relates perfectly to how it is out here in L.A.

Want to work at Fry's? Submit your application by clicking here

__________________________________________________________________________
Taken from a review of Fry's in general:

Fry's also has a very unique approach to customer service - they don't have any. In fact I think it would be fair to say they go out of their way to provide customer dis-service. And for me, that is what makes a visit to Fry's not just a trip to the store but rather like a great Olympic event. There are times that I experience the thrill of victory (being able to purchase an advertised special without it being out of stock, not yet in stock, white labeled or returned stock, a 1+ hour checkout ex:beererience etc) or the agony of defeat.

My advice to friends and clients is not to go. But if you must, I hope the following rules of shopping at Fry's will help you win more often then you lose.
_________________________________________________________________________
OK, I'm done with my reply. LOL

Originally posted by: o1die
Don't know why I hear complaints about Fry's in California. I've had no problems in austin Tx. Fry's is one of the few electronics retailers that doesn't charge a restocking fee. I've returned many items without any hassles.

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: bryanW1995

Originally posted by: aigomorla
i can double vouch for the 189 deal at frys.

lol i had to go pick up a dual wan router, then went to return it after it kept failing too many times.

Was almost tempted to pick it up for the hell of it, but i have a $50 E2200 i wanna try killing next week on my torcher rack.

I was going to tell you that it's "torture" until I remembered that you fried that other cpu. Maybe "oven rack" would make more sense?

lol.. okey oven rack it is!

LOL... and frys doesnt charge a restocking fee. I actually love frys because sometimes you can pick out your own bin.


This E2200 ibought at frys. A friend of mine had to rma his DQ6. Having memory issues, and we tested the ram. So he needed a cheapo temp board. i offered to give him 50 for the cpu because he was going to get the ecs anyhow.


Well now i have the chip, a razor and some electrical tape. After i rebuild my main, i'll pop this chip in the oven and see how long she lasts!

 

[chuckm]

Originally posted by: smz
Oops, can't edit this post for some reason, here's the link to fry's.com which shows the same SKU Number in the newspaper as
a retail boxed version of this CPU.

http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5101696

SOLD OUT!